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The Closer Review: "A Family Affair"

"A Family Affair" showcased Major Crimes doing what it does best: solving a major crime. This was done with little of the team's usual wit and all of the severity you would expect when dealing with the murder of the child a colleague.

Handling of the case was done with the utmost class, and watching a mother familiar with the system dealing with her own loss was an interesting process. Her criminal methodology and parental instincts working side-by-side lent a completely different angle to the usual determination of the squad.

Intensity was the name of the game, as a routine search for the suspect turned into a shootout the likes of which had not been seen on The Closer for several seasons. Brenda was visibly shaken and even more determine to find out what happened.

It was a good twist when the victim turned out to be searching for her birth family, set to inherit millions. It never ceases to amaze me to what degree people will go to protect their fortune. Even worse was that she never asked for a cent, she just wanted to know her family.

Raydor spoke to Sanchez on the Turrell Baylor case, and in a frank discussion afterward, Sanchez told Brenda he believed they all knew he would die if he were let go. Not only did they know, but their hands were tied.

Whether they let him out in front of his house that day or months later, the result would have been the same, but the outcome could have included more victims at the hands of Baylor.

That conversation brought us back to the episode last year when this all went down. The Internet was alive with disbelief that Brenda would take the law into her own hands, that by taking Baylor home she effectively gave him a death sentence. Was Sanchez right? Did the timing even matter? And what about further victims? Can you imagine being faced with making the same decision?

I cannot, but I don't think I would have made a different choice. If that makes Brenda a murderer, what does that make me?

In the development we all knew was coming, Brenda finally admitted what Detective Gabriel asked when they dropped off Baylor. But since only three people knew the question, how did the attorney for the Baylor family get the answer?

Raydor sharing her thoughts of the department leak with Brenda lead me to believe we will finally see these two incredible women work together for the good of the division. All I have to say about that? Hallelujah.